Ford Puma: common problems, best years and what to check
Fun, practical small SUV; same 1.0 EcoBoost care as the Fiesta. Covers 2019–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Ford Puma a good used buy?
Best buy
2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual
Avoid
none major; check belt/oil history
Who it suits: Drivers wanting a fun, practical small SUV.
What's good
- Fun to drive
- MegaBox under the boot floor
- Economical mild hybrid
- Good equipment
What's not
- Firm ride on ST-Line
- Wet belt needs regular oil changes
- Small rear seats
- Infotainment can lag
By the numbers
- #40 most common model on UK roads, with about 180k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 46.9k cars still licensed.
- 2019 cars survive 8% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 1.0 EcoBoost uses a wet belt (150k / 10 yrs): budget £700–£1,100 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: 7-speed DCT (2021+) low-speed hesitation (up to £1,500).
Ford Puma common problems by generation and engine
Ford Puma 2019– (crossover) · small SUV; ST
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Bug-eyed headlights on top of the wings and a wide grille.
1.0 EcoBoost (100/125/140ps) (Fox, petrol, 2019–)
Punchy and economical; later engines fixed most early cooling faults, belt still needs doing
- Coolant leak / overheating (hoses, header tank); far rarer than on 2012–2015 engines£200–£800any mileage · Check: Coolant level and any low-coolant warning
- Wet timing belt (oil-bathed) wear; oil pump belt£700–£1,100replace ~150k miles or 10 yrs · Check: Ask for belt-change invoice
- Misfire from coil packs / plugs£150–£35040k+
Faults on any 2019– (crossover) engine
- Wet belt condition on mHEV 1.0£700–£1,100check service
- 7-speed DCT (2021+) low-speed hesitation£0–£1,500any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Ford Puma years
How many Ford Pumas from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Ford Puma MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2019+ cars)
Ford Pumas pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (92% vs 87%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 89% | 86% | 33k miles |
| 2021 | 93% | 87% | 28k miles |
| 2022 | 92% | 89% | 20k miles |
| 2023 | 95% | 92% | 17k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tyres: has a cut1.64 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high1.39 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.07 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.06 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid0.78 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed0.63 per 100
- Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative0.58 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low0.47 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm16.87 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear13.1 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6.71 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened6.27 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.72 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre2.38 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.14 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.92 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Ford Puma have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 EcoBoost | wet belt | 150k / 10 yrs | £700–£1,100 |
Ford Puma running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Ford Puma ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Ford Puma vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Puma | 180k | 11–21 | 456 l | 2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual |
| Nissan Juke | 379k | 11–20 | 422 l | 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual |
| Renault Captur | 186k | 8–21 | 422 l | 2013–2019 0.9 TCe or 1.5 dCi manual; 2020+ E-Tech |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | 138k | 10–30 | 445 l | 2018+ 1.5 TSI manual |
| Peugeot 2008 | 179k | 10–24 | 434 l | 2019+ 2008 with PureTech belt done, or e-2008 |
| Skoda Kamiq | 44k | 9–17 | 400 l | 1.0 TSI 110 manual |
What to check when buying a used Ford Puma
- Ask about belt and oil-change history
- Puma is new so many are under warranty
Ford Puma FAQ
›Is the Ford Puma reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual. Avoid: none major; check belt/oil history.
›What is the Ford Puma MOT pass rate?
92% of Ford Pumas passed their MOT first time in 2025 (80,858 tests), better than the 87% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tyres: has a cut.
›What are the most common Ford Puma problems?
The costliest known faults are Wet timing belt; Coolant leak / overheating; Misfire from coil packs / plugs. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Ford Puma have a timing belt or chain?
1.0 EcoBoost: wet belt.
›What is the best year Ford Puma to buy?
Pick by engine and history rather than year: 2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual.
›How much does a Ford Puma cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 45–52 mpg. Insurance groups 11–21. A minor service is about £170–£240 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Ford Puma?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Ford Puma ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.